Straw-cutter



I. REYNOLDS.

Straw Cutter Patented Feb. 5, 1861.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTDE.

IRA REYNOLDS, OF BELLEFONTAINE, OHIO.

STRAW-GUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 81,328, dated February 5, 1861.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA REYNOLDS, of Bellefontaine, in the county ofLogan and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful ln'iprovements inStraw and Stalk Cutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, making a part of thisspecification, in which I Figure 1, is a. perspective view; Fig. 2, is atransverse section; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal elevation, with some of theseveral parts detached; Fig. 4: is a birds-eye view, showing theattachment of the gearing, with its several bearings and connections;Fig. 5 is a transverse section showing the action of the crank upon therock shaft of the feed motion; Fig. 6 is a. section of the feed boxdetached; Fig. 7 is a plan of the adjustable plate; Fig. 8 is a sideelevation of the boxing for the feed rollers, and fastening for the feedbox; Fig. 9 is a perspective of the same.

A is the frame work; B is feed box; C is the cutter blade; D is theadjustable plate; E is the boxing and fastening for the feed box; F isthe arm to which the blade is attached; G is the pitman connecting thearm to the crank; H is the crank connecting with the pitman; I is thehand crank; J is the ratchet wheel; K is the rock shaft of the feedmotion; L is the rod on which the blade works; M is the brace holdingthe feed box; 1 is the balance wheel; 0 is the driving gear wheel; P isthe pinion; R is the screw rod,regulating the feed motion; S is a staplepassing over and holding the ratchet hands in place; T is the ratchethand; U is the spring holding down the upper feed roller; V is theboxing; V is the shafting; X is the friction roller; Y is the strap andhooks, which secures the feed box to the machine; Z is the handle.

I construct my machine of suitable timber say 2 by 3 inches square andabout ll; feet long with girders and cross ties which make it about 14by 21 inches square, with curved bottom pieces, so as to make it standfirm upon the floor. 7,

My main driving wheel 0, is about 12 inches in diameter and about 2?;diameters of the pinion P. On the end of the pinion shaft is a crank H,25} inches long which is connected to the arm F by means of the pitmanG, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. This crank shaft is arranged between thearm F, and blade C for the purpose of making as direct an action uponthe blade as possible with so short a crank and producing a directaction upon the rock shaft K of the feed motion, which is produced bythe wrist of the crank acting directly upon the rock shaft, the wristbeing supplied with a friction roller 2 inches in diameter and of aninch thick, to take off the friction; this roller is seen at X, Figs. 1,2, a and 5.

The rock shaft of the feed motion is made of cast iron about 1 by 1-1-inches in diameter and of suitable length for the width of the machine,and is slotted as seen at a a a, Fig. 1, for the purpose of admittingthe ratchet hands T, also for the purpose of supplying the center withindia rubber or some other pliable substance, so as to take off the jarand consequent strain and noise in operating the machine; this rubberextends as far as the friction roller works upon the rock shaft, and isabout thick and is shown at Z), Figs. 1 and 2.

The arm F may be made of wrought or cast iron, about by is and for a 10inch machine about 20 inches long and curved as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 soas to admit of greater length of pitman. It is slotted at the end whereit is secured to the blade, sufficient-1y to admit the blade to work inthe slot, as seen at m Fig. i.

The blade is made of cast steel about wide by 26 inches long, or ofsuitable length for the width of the machine, and is curved at the lowerend as seen at (4 Figs. 1 and 2 suflicient to bring the rod L to crossthe blade at about :1- its length, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 therebybringing a leverage upon the edge of the blade, and securing an easy andcertain mode of adjusting the edge of the blade to the mouth piece AFig. 2, which is done by means of the adjustable plate D Fig. 7, whichis made triangular of cast iron, and extends about 8 inches from theframe of the machine, and is about thick and i inches wide where it issecured to the frame work by means of a pivot at n Fig. 7, and by atemper screw at a Fig. 7. The rod passes through and is secured to thisplate as seen at 72, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7. It will readily be seenthat by the adjustability of this plate,

the blade may be readily changed to or from the mouth piece A Fig. 2, itbeing so perforatcd that the rod L readily passes through it, as seen at/L Fig. 1.

The rod is made of 5% iron and secured to the inside of the frame asseen at e c Fig. 4 and by a screw and nut to the adjustable plate, asseen at 0 0 Figs, 1 and 2.

The boxing for the feed rollers and fastening for the feed box is madeof cast iron and so constructed as to form a simple and suflicient boxfor the lower roller and an efficient sliding slotted box for the upperroller. This box is constructed with bearings for the journals as seenat u u Figs. 8 and 9 also a slot for the spring U which presses upon thejournals of the upper roller, it also forms a complete fastening for thefeed box which is supplied with strap hooks, which are placed in thatportion of the box extending outward as seen at 2' Fig. 9 and the feedbox being raised up at the rear end brings the upper portion of thesides under the notch at 5, thus securing and holding it firmly in placeand against the action of ,the springs as they are pressed upward by thefeed rollers. The brace 11, Fig. 1 holding the rear portion in place.

The spring U Fig. 6 is made of wire and coiled so as to becomesufficiently elastic to admit the upper roller to move upward inchanging the quantity of feed, and passes in above the journal throughthe slot at Z Fig. 9, and is secured to the box at f Fig. 6 by means ofa screw, and at f f by being bent and driven into the box.

The pitman is made of cast iron about 9 inches long and 1 by 1!; inchesdiameter with a hole for the wrist of the crank and slotted at the topso as to admit the arm F to pass through it, as seen at 9 Fig. 1.

The temper screw 70 is made of small iron and passes under the rockshaft of the feed motion, as seen at (Z cl Figs. 2 and 5 and is held inplace by a small plate 4 4. Figs. 1, 2 and 5 and is regulated by meansof a nut 3 at the top, which raises or lowers the rock shaft byloosening or tightening the nut. The arm F in its movement is held inplace by means of a rod 00 w m Fig. 3.

All other portions of the machine including the feed box, shafting,boxes and all of the several fastenings are made in the usual manner andsecured by means of bolts, nuts and screws as seen in the severalportions of the drawings.

It will readily be seen by the foregoing description, that by turningthe crank I an immediate and rapid sliding angular motion is given tothe cutting blade, which with the force of the balance wheel, makes theoperation very easy, and the wrist of the crank at the same time actingdirectly upon the rock shaft of the feed motion, produces a positiveaction of the feed rollers, all of which is secured by the arrangementof the crank between the arm and cutting blade. The ease of a rapidmotion of the blade is apparent from the fact that every weight andobstruction is removed from it by giving it the peculiar curved shapeatthe lower end and guiding its motion by the rod, which beingadjustable, places the machine and its operations entirely under thecontrol of the operator.

Having described the nature and operation of my invention, I wish to saythat I do not desire to claim, and therefore disclaim the invention ofgear wheels, balance wheels, cranks, rock shafts, feed rollers, cutterblades, rods and slides, but

What I therefore do claim as my invention and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1s 1. The arrangement of the crank between the arm F andblade C, with the rock shaft K and feed motion as and for the purposesdescribed.

2. Constructing the journal box E, in such a manner as to form the boxfor the lower roller and the sliding or slotted box for the upper feedroller, with slot for spring,'and fastening for the feed box as seen andrepresented in the accompanying drawings and specification.

3. The combination of the adjustable plate D, and the rod L, whenconstructed and operating as and for the purposes described.

IRA REYNOLDS.

lVitnesses I JOHN B. Comm, J AS. A. HENDERSON.

